Wind-generated electricity from the Upper Midwest will become cost-competitive with power generated from more conventional fuel sources like coal, while providing substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions when connected to the nation's electricity grid via new extra-high-voltage transmission lines, a new study by The Brattle Group has concluded.

The study, "Transmission Super Highway: Benefits of Extra High Voltage Transmission Overlays in the Midwest," provides evidence that renewable resources offer an important and economically feasible means to respond to escalating energy demands in a carbon-regulated environment with domestic energy sources. The study was commissioned by ITC Holdings Corp.

The Brattle study shows that wind power from the windiest parts of the country can economically displace fossil-fuel power sources after 2020 under likely climate policies.

The current lack of extra-high-voltage transmission lines through these regions - the Upper Midwest states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota - is a significant barrier to harnessing this valuable resource as a viable energy solution in a carbon-regulated environment.

The study concludes that extra-high-voltage transmission projects like ITC's proposed Green Power Express are essential for accessing the nation's most important renewable energy resources.